From physics PhD to data science leader, unexpected challenges in survey data, Python vs R, EDA best practices, building MLOps toolkit - Julia Silge - The Data Scientist Show #087

Julia Silge is an engineering manager at Posit PBC, formerly know as R-studio, where she leads a team of developers building open source software MLOps. Before Posit, she finished a PhD in astrophysics, worked for several years in the nonprofit space, and was a data scientist at Stack Overflow where some of her most public work involved the annual developer survey. We talked about MLOps tools, challenges in survey data, text analysis, and balancing her interests in data science and engineering.

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(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:00:56) Getting into data science

(00:04:50) Transition from data centers to engineering manager

(00:14:04) Common challenges in tool development

(00:17:38) Challenges with survey data

(00:26:47) Engineering skills for data scientists

(00:28:59) Balancing roles

(00:34:49) Developing skills in Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)

(00:39:19) Python vs. R for data analysis

(00:44:40) Exciting aspects in career and personal life